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㽶ƵֱMemorial eCup㽶Ƶֱ games to keep junior players plugged in, including Kelowna㽶Ƶֱs Burzan

WHL veteran㽶Ƶֱs pro dream is on hold as he skates in Kelowna
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Surrey-raised hockey player Luka Burzan in action with the WHL㽶Ƶֱs Brandon Wheat Kings. (Photo: Brandi Pollock/Wheat Kings)

Like other WHL players during the COVID-19 pandemic, Luka Burzan is just trying to keep his legs moving.

The Surrey-raised sniper, a Brandon Wheat Kings veteran and Colorado Avalanche draft pick, is skating twice a week at a rink in Kelowna, where he now lives.

㽶ƵֱNothing too crazy,㽶Ƶֱ Burzan said. 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱm skating with a lot of pro guys like (Damon) Severson, who plays for New Jersey (Devils), and (Brent) Seabrook, a lot of people know him, and a lot of other guys, too, and there㽶Ƶֱs really no better place to get better than skate with guys like that.㽶Ƶֱ

Still, he㽶Ƶֱd rather being play meaningful games, but the WHL season has been delayed until the first week of January, at the earliest.

㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱve been hanging out with family and some friends, a tight circle, and honestly it㽶Ƶֱs a little boring without hockey right now,㽶Ƶֱ Burzan admitted. 㽶ƵֱI feel like I㽶Ƶֱm missing a big part of my life not being in Brandon and playing, and those guys are like my brothers. It㽶Ƶֱs been weird.㽶Ƶֱ

One activity that will keep Burzan busy is the new , a 64-team eSports tournament featuring all 60 CHL clubs, plus four 㽶Ƶֱdistinguished hockey personalities㽶Ƶֱ as guest participants.

The 㽶ƵֱNHL 21㽶Ƶֱ video-game tournament will be played from Nov. 28 to Dec. 17 on the Sony PlayStation 4 system, with Burzan chosen to represent his Wheat Kings.

㽶ƵֱI was asked by the team if I wanted to do it, and I thought it㽶Ƶֱd be fun and a pretty cool experience, kinda cool,㽶Ƶֱ Burzan said. 㽶ƵֱI㽶Ƶֱve been missing some competitiveness, so trying to win something like that would be really good, and I think it will be a cool experience for sure.㽶Ƶֱ

The online action is designed to keep junior-hockey fans engaged at a time when on-ice games aren㽶Ƶֱt happening.

Burzan said he plays the video game 㽶Ƶֱa fair amount, and I think I should do pretty well, but I don㽶Ƶֱt know, there are a lot of players involved, more than 60 of us, so I㽶Ƶֱll try to make it as far as I can,㽶Ƶֱ he said. 㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱll be hard to win, and some luck will be involved. They㽶Ƶֱll have it on Facebook Live and Twitch, so the fans should love it, and it㽶Ƶֱll be fun. They㽶Ƶֱll get to know the players a bit more, their personalities, so it should be good that way.㽶Ƶֱ

Viewers can tune in via and on social media using the hashtag #KiaCHLeCup.

㽶Ƶֱ RELATED STORY, from 2019: .

In June 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Burzan was selected in the NHL Entry Draft by the Avalanche, 171st overall. At the time, the left-shot centre had spent with the Wheat Kings and also Moose Jaw Warriors.

Now 20, the Surrey Minor Hockey Association product, who grew up in the Guildford area, had hoped to have a good showing at Avs training camp this past September, but COVID ended those plans.

㽶ƵֱThey㽶Ƶֱre really good, and check on me all the time,㽶Ƶֱ Burzan said of the Denver-based club. 㽶ƵֱI asked them about camp but right now they have no idea how it㽶Ƶֱs going to look, and hopefully we㽶Ƶֱll know soon,㽶Ƶֱ he said about the coming NHL season, targeted to start in January. 㽶ƵֱWith the borders being closed, that㽶Ƶֱs a bit of a problem. There are so many cases down there.㽶Ƶֱ

Burzan said he felt he had 㽶Ƶֱa pretty good chance of going to camp and proving myself,㽶Ƶֱ prior to the pandemic.

㽶ƵֱEveryone㽶Ƶֱs goal is to go there and make the NHL, right, and I think I had at least a chance to make the American Hockey League (affiliate team) and get some experience there, but you know what, nobody expected a pandemic to happen,㽶Ƶֱ Burzan noted. 㽶ƵֱSo right now I㽶Ƶֱm just trying to get better each and every day, and everyone㽶Ƶֱs going through the same thing. Hopefully this will all be over soon and we can get back to work. But even with (the WHL), Manitoba is code-red. We㽶Ƶֱll see.㽶Ƶֱ

As for the Memorial eCup, the competition starts as a single-elimination tournament, with semifinal and final-round action then seeing players go head-to-head in a best-of-three format.

Other CHL players signed up include Vancouver Giants㽶Ƶֱ Trevor Longo along with former Giant Lukas Svejkovsky, now with Medicine Hat Tigers.

Meantime, Vancouver Giants have loaned out two players to junior leagues under a new arrangement designed to give athletes competitive playing time while they wait for the WHL season to resume.

One deal will see 2003-born forward Justin Lies head to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League㽶Ƶֱs Flin Flon Bombers through Dec. 20 of this year. The Giants have also loaned 2002-born forward Krz Plummer to the Alberta Junior Hockey League㽶Ƶֱs Whitecourt Wolverines.

㽶Ƶֱ READ MORE: .

In other Giants news, the club has hired Manitoba native Keith McCambridge as an associate coach. McCambridge spent 10 seasons coaching in the American Hockey League, with Hartford Wolf Pack, Manitoba Moose and St. John㽶Ƶֱs IceCaps. Additionally, he spent six seasons with the ECHL㽶Ƶֱs Alaska Aces where he served as a head coach (2007-2009), an assistant coach (2006-07) and a player/coach (2003-2006).



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news for Surrey Now-Leader and Black Press Media
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